Electrical fixture for flat twin electrical conductors



July 20, 1954 J, B, @A1-ALDO 2,684,470

ELECTRICAL FIXTURE FCR FLAT TWIN ELECTRICAL CCNDUCTCRS Filed April 16, 1952 f 50a lNvENToR JOHN ES. CAT/ALDO (21AM, @wwf/@EMM ATTO R N EYS Patented July 20, 1954 ELECTRICAL FIXTURE FOR FLAT TWIN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS John B. Cataldo, Bernardsville, N. J., John B. Pierce Foundation, New

assignor to York, N. Y.,

a corporation of New York Application April 16, 1952, Serial No. 282,616

4 Claims. l

This invention relates .to electrical fix-tures, and more particularly to new and improved fixtures incorpora-ting lamp sockets, cord plug receptacles and the like.

The development of strip wiring systems comprising semi-rigid electrical conduits of flat. strip form and to which there are connected a series of electrical fixtures, has resulted in a need for fixtures which are particularly adapted for this use. Such fixtures should be so designed that electrical connections can be quickly and eiectively established -to the electrical conductors of the conduit, preferably without severing the electrical conductors. Further, the usefulness of such xtures is materially increased when the design is such that a given xture may be utilized for a plurality of functions, such, for example, as a socket for a lamp and a receptacle for cord plugs.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide an improved electrical fixture adapted to be attached to an electrical conduit.

It is another object of the invention to provide a eunied electrical fixture embodying multiple electrical devices :and which may be readily attached to an electrical conduit.

It is a further object ci' the invention to provide an improved electrical iix-ture which may be attached intermediately of the ends of a conduit, the electrical conductors of which need not be severed within the xture.

These and other objects and features of .the invention `may Ibe attained by providing a housing portion through which the unsevered conductors of an electrical conduit may pass. Within the housing an electrical device such as a conventional lamp socket may be seated with its base adjacent the conductors and provided with -terminal blades disposed in suitable recesses so that spring clip members may be utilized to connect the conductors to the terminal blades. Further, a plug receptacle may be so disposed in the fixture that the clip members which join the conductors and the terminal blades lmay also be utilized to provide contact channels for receiving the male conductor blades of a cord cap plug in an eiiicient electrical connection.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had Ito the following specification taken in 'conjunction with the drawr ings illustrating one preferred form of the invention and in which:

Fig. l is a. top View of an electrical xture showing lamp socket and receptacle portions;

Fig. 2 is a side View partly in longitudinal section of the xture shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom View of the xture with the bottom cover piece removed;

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5A is a View in perspective of one electrical clip element utilized in the electrical ixture;

Fig. 5B is a view in perspective of another clip element; and

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a detachable side portion utilized to facilitate the mounting of the electrical socket in the Xture.

.Referring to `the drawing, `the invention is shown as embodied in an electrical iixture I0 comprising a housing shell I I form-ed of insulating material such, for example, as molded plastic. The fixture I0 includes a central lamp socket assembly indica-ted generally by the numeral l2 and a pair of cord plug receptacles I3 and I I, respectively, disposed on opposite sides of the lamp socket.

The fixture is adapted to be attached to an electrical strip conduit I5, including a pair of heavy electrical conductors I5 and I1 embedded in an insulating strip I8. The conduit I `5 is received in suitable channels I9 and 20 formed on opposite ends of the housing II, and within the housing between these channels Ithe insulation is removed .to bare the conductors IS and I1, which pass through `the xture without being severed.

The housing Il is formed with an enlarged cylindrical center portion 2I within which the socket assembly I2 is received. The socket assembly I2 includes a conventional, internally threaded receptacle 22 for a lamp bulb L and a laterally extending, flanged pull chain guide 23 entered by a pull chain 23a. Pull chain sockets of this type are well known and need not be described in detail herein.

The housing shell l! is formed with a slot 24 which receives the pull chain guide 23, the slot being closed behind lthe guide by means of a slide panel 25 which serves to anchor the socket assembly in pla-ce. A bottom cover portion 26 is adapted to overlie the base of the housing shell II and when in position secures Ithe slide panel 25 against withdrawal. The cover portion 26 is preferably secured to the housing shell II by means of mormting screws 2l (Fig. 2) which may, if desired, penetrate the insulating strip I8 of the electrical conduit t5.

The xture I6 is adapted to be attached to a supporting surface, such for example as the oeiling C, by means of mounting screws 28 which enter recesses 219. The mounting Screws 28 may also be positioned so that they penetrate the insulating strip I8 of the electrical conduit I5 so as to prevent the insulation from being accidentally stripped back `to expose the conductors I6 and Il' externally of the fixture.

The housing shell l l is formed internally with a pair of Arecesses 3l and 32 (Fig. 3) at the base of which slot opennigs 33 and 34 (Fig. 1), respectively, are formed, these slots being part of the cord plug receptacle portion lli. Fitted over the conductors i6 and respectively, .are a pair of identical clip members 35a and i351). One of these clip members is shown in detail in Fig. B as comprising a bight .portion 31 .'for surrounding the conductor, a pair of divergent'leg portions 38 and SS extending outwardly from the bight, and a pair of reentrant, Aconverging arm portions lll and il which afford a channel .for receiving the male conductor blade of a cord plus..

The clip members and 35h are so constructed that when they are forced into the .recesses 31 vand 52 the leg portions 33 and 3Q are compressed to cause the bight 3? to grip tightly about the electrical conductor il and to cause thearm portions ci) and ll to engage each other resiliently so as to establish wiping engagement with kthe male blade of a cord cap plug P as shown in phantom lines in Fig. 2.

To the right of the socket assembly l2, as viewed in Fig. 3, the housing Il is formed with a second pair of recesses l2 and 43 having slots 'All and d5, which are part of the cord plug receptable i3, at their respective bases. To the left of the recesses (i2 and H3 the housing is formed with another pair of recesses l5 and 4'! and 4within these recesses are disposed, .respectively, terminal blades i3 and 5S which are carried by the lamp socket l2 and which comprise the terminals thereof.

A single clip member may be utilized to connect 'one terminal of Athe .lamp lsocket assembly as Well `as .one `terminal of the cord plug receptacle i3 to lone conductor of the electrical conduit E5. To .this end a pair or" double clip members eta .and 5th may be provided, one of Whichis shown in detail in Fig. 5A as including an elongated veight or fold edge 5l from which extend two .pairs of divergent leg portions 52-53 and '5d-"55. The free ends oi the leg portions .c2-53 and 5ft-55 are inturned to provide resilient contact arms 555-5? and 58-53, .respectively.

As seen in 3, lthe double clip vmember 50h is shownattached to the conductor I7., while the conductor i5 .and `part of its corresponding clip member 5ta are shown partly broken away .to reveal the slot @A for receiving a blade of a cord cap plug and the terminal blade 48 of the lamp socket. The double clip member 55h is inserted in the .housing so that the leg portions 52-53 are compressed in the recess fi'i and the leg portions all-t are compressed in the recess 43. When so inserted the bight portion .5l will be caused to vtightly .grip the conductor i7 and the inturned arms 553-57 to tightly engage the terminal blade 69 of the socket assembly l2. The inturned leg portions 58-59 will present a contact channel for receiving the blade or male conductor of a cord cap plug.

It will'be seen that the terminal blades 48 and 49 .of the socket assembly are constructed Aand arranged to be disposed directly beneath the electrical conductors Viva-nd i1, respectively. Thus, for example, the conductor ll, the .clip mem- 4 ber 5M) attached thereto, the slot 45 of the cord cap plug receptacle i3 and the terminal blade :39 are all contained in the same plane. This arrangement coupled With semierigid characteristics of the conductor i1 When received Within the xture and the orientation of the recesses 43 and il enables the clip member 150i) to be quickly and easily installed to establish an electrically and mechanically efcient connection. The cover portion 25, When attached to the housing, overlies the bight portion 5l of each of the clip members to secure the assembly so that forcing a .male conductor blade of a cord cap Vplug through the slot 45 and between the spring- `biased contact arms 53--59 will not derange the assembly. As stated, the cover portion 2&3 also holds the slide panel 25 in place so that the housing shell may carry some of the forces applied to the pull chain guide 23. Also, the pull chain guide 23, since it is laterally coniined .in the slot 2d formed 'in the Aside of the housing shell, will serve 'together with other mounting connections for the socket assembly, to carry torsional forces which might be applied to the fixture in tightening or loosening an electric lamp in the socket.

It will be understood that additional electrical devices may, Within the scope of the present invention, be incorporated in the housing Veither by .means of individual clip members or by eX- tensions formed on multiple purpose clip members. I'lhus other forms and arrangements of the inve tion Will be apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention should not, therefore, be

iought of as limited except as donned by the iollowing claims.

vlclaim:

l. In an electrical nxture for attaching to an electrical conduit vcomprising parallel, laterally spaced-apart electrical conductors embedded in a unitary insulating strip, the conductors being atleast partially bared of insulation Within the xture, a housing, Wall means .dening a channel in `the base of the .housing for receiving the conduit, an electrical device mounted in the housing, a .pair of contact terminal blades connected electrically to the device, means forming a pair or slots in the housing .for receiving the male .conductor blades-oi a cord cap plug, and electrically conducting clip members for joining boththe terminal blades and cord cap plug blades to the electrical conductors of conduit, at least one clip memberbeingprovided for each conductor of the conduit and each clip member comprising a bight portion 'for embracing a conductor, a nrstportion including 'leg portions extending outwardly from the bight and carrying contact portions for resiliently engaging a terminal blade of the device, and .a second portion also including leg portions extending outwardly irom the bight and carrying contact portions dening a channel for receiving the male conductor blade of a cord cap plug.

2. In an electrical fixture for attaching to an electrical conduit comprising parallel, laterally spaced-apart electrical conductors embedded in a unitary insulating strip, the conductors being at least partially bared of insulation Within the xture, a housing, Wall means in the base or the housing defining an open channel for receiving the conduit, means forming a slot in the side of the housing having an open end at the base of the housing, a lamp socket mounted in the housing and havinga laterally extending pull chain guide received nand projecting through the slot, said socket beingmounted in the housing by insertion 5 through the base with the pull chain guide entering by Way of the open end of the slot, means forming slots in the surface of the housing for receiving the male conductor blades of cord cap plugs, at least a pair of terminal blades carried by the lamp socket disposed respectively in the planes of electrical conductors of the conduit which pass through the housing, and plurality of electrically conducting clip members, each clip member being adapted both to connect a terminal blade to an electrical conductor and to provide a resilient contact-channel for receiving a blade of a cord cap plug, each clip member comprising' a bight portion for surrounding a conductor, a first portion for engaging a terminal blade including a pair of leg portions extending out Wardly from the bight portion and contact portions carried thereby dening a channel for receiving a terminal blade and a second portion inoluding a pair or leg portions extending outwardly from the bight portion and contact portions car ried thereby dening a channel for receiving a cord cap blade introduced through one of said slots, and a cover portion attached to the base of the housing to cover the conduit and to block the pull chain guide in position in the housing, the cover portion having an inner surface disposed adjacent the bight portions of the clip members.

3. In an electrical fixture incorporating cord cap plug and lamp socket devices, the fixture being adapted to attach to an electrical conduit comprising parallel, laterally spaced-apart electrical conductors embedded in a unitary insulating strip, the conductors being at least partially bared of insulation for a length to be received Within the fixture, a housing shell formed of insulating material, wall means defining in the base of the housing a channel for receiving the electrical conduit, slots formed in the outer surface of the housing shell for receiving the male conductors of cord cap plugs, said slots being orientated to receive the male conductors When the latter are disposed respectively in planes containing the conductors or" the conduit, Wall means in the housing shell dening recesses opening near the base of vthe housing shell and communieating with the said slots, means dcning an area in the housing shell for receiving the lamp socket device, the base oi the lamp socket device being disposed near the base or the housing shell, a pair of terminal blades connected electrically to said lamp socket device and having Contact portions disposed respectively in the said planes containing the electrical conductors of the conduit and the slots, means defining recesses in the housing shell embracing said terminal blades, electrically conducting clip members adapted to be received in the recesses and to engage the electrical conductors of the conduit, each of said clip members comprising a bight portion adapted to surround one conducto-r, a first pair or" leg portions extending outwardly from the bight portion to enter a recess corresponding to a slot of a cord cap plug receptacle, inturned converging arm portions carried by the first pair of leg portions to denne a contact channel for receiving a male conductor of a cord cap plug which may be inserted in the slot, a second pair of leg portions extending out- Wardly from the bight portion and spaced from the first pair along the length of the conductor to enter a recess to embrace a terminal blade of the lamp socket device, said leg portions carrying inturned converging arm portions for engaging the terminal blade, and a cover portion adapted to be attached to 'the housing, vthe cover portion having an inner surface disposed adjacent the bight portions of the clip members.

e. In an electrical fixture incorporating cord cap plug and lamp socket devices, the fixture being adapted to attach to an electrical conduit comprising parallel, laterally1 spaced-apart electrical conductors embedded in a unitary insulating strip, the conductors being at least partially bared of insulation for a length to be received within the lixture, a housing shell formed or insulating material, Wall means delining in the base of the housing a channel for receiving the electrical conduit, slots formed in the outer surface of the housing shell for receiving the male conductors of cord cap plugs, said slots being orientated to receive the male conductors when the latter are disposed respectively in planes containing the conductors of the conduit, Wall means in the housing shell deiining recesses opening near the base of the housing shell and communicating with the said slots, means defining an area in the housing shell for receiving a lamp socket device having a laterally extending pull chain guide, the side Wall of the housing being slotted to receive the said guide, a slide panel received in the slot behind the guide, the base of the lamp soclet device being disposed near the base of the housing shell, a pair of terminal blades connected electrically to said lamp socket device and having contact portions disposed respectively in the said planes containing the electrical conductors of the conduit and the slots, means delining recesses in the housing shell embracing said terminal blades, electrically conducting clip members adapted to be received in the recesses and to engage the electrical conductors of the conduit, each of said clip members comprising a bight portion adapted to surround one conductor, a first pair of leg portions extending outwardly from the bight portion to enter a recess corresponding to a slot of a cord cap plug receptacle, inturned converging arm portions carried by the rst pair of leg portions to dene a Contact channel for receiving a male conductor of a cord cap plug which may be inserted in the slot, a second pair of leg portions extending outwardly from the bight portion and spaced from the rst pair along the length of the conductor to enter a recess to embrace a terminal blade of the lamp socket device, said leg portions carrying inturned converging arm portions for engaging the terminal blade, and a cover portion adapted to be attached to the housing, the cover portion having an inner surface disposed adjacent the bight portions of the clip members and overlying the slide panel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 752,834 Fielding Feb. 23, 1904 1,965,170 Benjamin July 3, 1934 2,194,905 Johnson Mar. 26, 1940 2,313,452 OBrien Mar. 9, 1943 2,567,961 OBrien Sept. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 120,441 Switzerland May 16, 1927 

